


Shadow

by CatWingsAthena



Series: Liminal (Wunderkind Next Generation Prequel) [2]
Category: MacGyver (TV 2016), Wunderkind (MacGyver TV 2016 Fanfiction)
Genre: Angst, Families of Choice, Gen, Missing Scene, Missing scene to my other fic Liminal, Wunderkind Next Generation-adjacent, bit of humor at the end, wunderkind
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-12
Updated: 2021-02-12
Packaged: 2021-03-12 03:48:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 968
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29378766
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CatWingsAthena/pseuds/CatWingsAthena
Summary: Following the events of the other fic in this series, Liminal, Mac and his conscience are having a bad day.Jack is there to be helpful. Even though he's not having a great day himself.
Relationships: Jack Dalton & Angus MacGyver (MacGyver TV 2016)
Series: Liminal (Wunderkind Next Generation Prequel) [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2158092
Comments: 10
Kudos: 9





	Shadow

**Author's Note:**

> Hello everybody! This fic contains references to gun violence, suicide by cop, past rape, and heart attacks (in a joking context). Hope you enjoy!

When Mac walks away from the car containing Cassian, he braces himself.

Jack is  _ not _ gonna be happy.

But... Mac wants to talk to him all the same. He knows Jack will find a way to make him feel better.

And he feels pretty damn rotten right now.

“Hey,” he says when he sees Jack.

Jack is already making his way toward him.  _ “Jesus, _ kiddo. You about gave me a heart attack. Little warning next time you step out in front of the gun-toting psychopath with no cover and no weapon?”

“I did warn you,” says Mac weakly. He can tell Jack isn’t really mad, just worried.

“You told me not to interrupt, without telling me what you were gonna do. That hardly counts as a warning.” Jack sighs. “I didn’t mean to eavesdrop, but I overheard most of that conversation, and... are you okay?”

Mac clenches his teeth. “I will be. And  _ Cassian  _ will be.”

Jack’s look of concern increases by a factor of about ten. Jack knows that if Mac isn’t automatically saying he’s fine, things are  _ bad. _

Which... they are. And it’s probably better Jack knows that.

“C’mon,” says Jack. “Car this way. We can sit and talk in private.”

Jack climbs into the driver’s side of the car, and Mac takes the passenger’s seat (he... does not feel like calling it  _ shotgun _ right now). Jack looks at Mac, something intensely earnest in his expression.

“First, I want you to know that, narrowly averted heart attack aside, I am so proud of you. That can’t’ve been easy, but you did an amazing job. I doubt Sam could’ve done any better.”

Mac swallows. “Maybe Sam could’ve brought her in alive.”

“Hey, hey, now. You said it yourself, Amber wasn’t gonna let that happen. Five minutes of talking wasn’t gonna change that, no matter who it was. You did the best you could, and you got Cassian away from her so we didn’t have to shoot her right over him. Because we would’ve, if it was that or let her get away with him.”

Mac winces. He knew that, but it still hurts to imagine.

“And I  _ know _ you, so I know talking someone into suicide-by-TAC-team has your conscience all tangled up in knots. But you did what you had to do, kiddo. And Cassian’s safe now because of it.”

“Yeah,” says Mac quietly. “I just wish I hadn’t had to... to do it how I did it.”

“You feel bad ‘cause you needled her about her past.” Jack looks sympathetic, and it  _ hurts _ because Jack doesn’t  _ understand... _

“Do you remember that mission when I had to pretend to be Murdoc?

Jack winces. “Not gonna forget anytime soon.”

“What I did to her was exactly what Murdoc did to me then. I figured out where she was weak and I exploited it. And she  _ died.” _

“She was already dead, Mac,” says Jack quietly. “We had her surrounded. She wasn’t getting out of there—”

“I could’ve.”

There. He said it. What’s been bothering him this whole time.

“Amber and I... I understood her better than I wanted to. That’s how I could do... what I did. And I think we had more in common than either of us would’ve liked to admit. So if I could’ve gotten out... I think she could’ve too.” Mac takes a shaky breath. “I talked to her, and she gave up.”

“Kiddo, you saved Cassian—”

“I know that. And I know Amber was  _ evil. _ I’m not sorry she’s dead, even, I know Cassian’s safer now. But... I still hate that I could  _ do  _ that.” Mac swallows. “How does Sam do this all the time and stay as sane as she is?”

“You and Sam are very different people. And yeah, you’re capable of a lot of things, including some you might wish you weren’t. But that’s not anything bad about you. It’s just what you can do. Up to you how you use it.”

Mac nods slowly. “I guess.”

“And yeah, maybe you understand Amber better than you wish you did. You’ve had way too much opportunity to learn about evil. But she didn’t know squat about you. And that’s why you won.” Jack’s eyes fill with sadness. “Kiddo, I am so sorry I couldn’t protect you from more of it.”

Mac winces. He knew one of the things he’d said would hurt Jack. Honestly, he’d expected it to come up sooner. “I’m sorry about that thing I said about it not stopping. I know you’re doing your best, and I don’t blame you for any of it, okay?”

Jack takes a slow breath. “I know that, but... I still feel pretty useless sometimes.”

“You’re not useless,” says Mac fiercely. “If it wasn’t for you, I’d be dead by now. I don’t know how many times you’ve saved me, but...” he trails off, a little worried about his next words. “I did mean what I said. It doesn’t stop. But I don’t give up because I have a family to keep coming back to. And you’re at the middle of it.”

Mac takes a breath as tears fill Jack’s eyes. “You want a hug?”

“Isn’t that my line?” asks Jack with a faint smile, holding out his arms.

Mac settles into them, feeling some of the tangle at the center of his chest begin to loosen.

After a moment, they break apart.

“So,” says Jack, “looks like you’ve added Cassian to your little... what’s the word for a bunch of baby phoenixes?”

Mac snorts. “I don’t know.”

“Phoenixlets? Phoenixlings?”

“What are you even talking about?”

“C’mon, man. Annabelle, Valerie, Ethan, now Cassian... You’re adopting quite the... phoenixes are birds, so is it a flock?”

“Phoenixes are solitary birds,” Mac automatically observes.

“Well, every solitary bird needs a flock.”

Mac smiles a little. “Yeah.”

**Author's Note:**

> Hello again! Hope you liked this! If you did, I'd love it if you could let me know below!


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